Spicy Sweet Potato Hash Browns (Rösti)

Crispy sweet potato hash browns (also called röstis) with a little spicy kick, and served with a basil goat cheese yogurt sauce.

I have been willing to share these hash browns for ages and I’m glad I finally did, because these little beauties have everything to seduce you. I had some yesterday, sadly had no leftovers, and I can’t wait to go make more. That’s how addictive they are!

We call them “hash browns” here in the United States but they are also known under the name of “rösti” in Switzerland where we find the same kind of dish. The original idea is very basic: just grate some potatoes, combine with onions, a mixture of eggs and flour, season and pan-fry them in a large skillet, either individual or in the size of the skillet. The result is crispy and crunchy with a moist inside.

Instead of using potatoes, I go for sweet potatoes in this recipe. The rest remains the same, except that I spiced up the all thing with harissa, my new obsession as you might have noticed on the blog lately. Harissa is a Maghrebi hot chili pepper paste that really gives a kick to most of your dishes. Be gentle when using it though, especially if you have a sensitive palate. I also added some paprika, that even add a beautiful red~ish color to the hash browns.

A few words to describe them:

plant-based

crispy

spicy

sweet

and irresistible.

Again, they are very basic and it won’t take you long to prepare them. All you need is a box grater or a food processor to insure your carrots are shredded properly. Grated too tiny, they will bring too much moister to the texture and it will be almost impossible to obtain the crispy texture we are looking for. Imagine you are grating carrots and proceed the exact same way (not too thin, no too thick, just the regular vegetable shredded size).

There are various options to serve your hash browns with: you could serve with a simple avocado dip, with sunny-side up or poached eggs… here I simply went for a yogurt dip with goat cheese and fresh basil leaves. Combined together, the fresh goat cheese and the basil bring some irresistible freshness to the whole dish as well as a creaminess that smooths out the crispy texture of the hash browns. You almost want to grab them with your hands and dip them in the sauce.

Now it’s your turn to try. I hope you will enjoy these little pleasures of life as much as I do! Oh, and don’t forget to send me your pictures when you try them, there is nothing that makes me happier than seeing you busy in your kitchen cooking some homemade meals inspired from the blog. Thank you!

Spicy Sweet Potato Hash Browns (Rösti)

Description

Crispy sweet potato hash browns (also called röstis) with a little spicy kick, and served with a basil goat cheese yogurt sauce.

Scale

Ingredients

For the spicy sweet potato hash browns:

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 4 cups / 450g), peeled and grated

1/2 red or yellow onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup (40g) all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon harissa

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

For the goat cheese sauce:

4 ounces (110g) fresh goat cheese

1/2 cup (120g) yogurt

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Fresh basil leaves, minced

Pomegranate (optional)

Instructions

For the spicy sweet potato hash browns:

Peel and grate the sweet potatoes on the large holes of a box grater.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, the onion, flour, eggs, harissa, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined, making sure the harissa spreads evenly in the mixture.

Heat a film of oil in a wide skillet set over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop 1/4 cup of batter into the hot oil, flattening slightly. Fry until deeply golden on the first side, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until golden and cooked through.

Remove the hash browns to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding oil to the pan as needed.

For the sauce:

In a small bowl, mix together the fresh goat cheese and yogurt. Add the minced basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the spicy sweet potato hash browns with the sauce and pomegranate on top if desired).